Congressional Newsletters

RAND Congressional newsletters and alerts highlight our research on the most relevant issues in the public policy debate. See the most recent issues below.

Domestic Terrorism
In Case You Missed It: How Do We Prevent the Next Homegrown Terrorist?
Jun 7, 2019
In this Congressional briefing, Brian Jackson discusses past and current terrorism prevention strategies. He also shares considerations for policymakers and the federal government forging a path forward.
Suicide
In Case You Missed It: How to Reduce Suicide Among U.S. Veterans and Service Members
Jun 3, 2019
The rate at which veterans and service members die by suicide is a national security problem that requires a comprehensive approach. RAND's Terri Tanielian outlines six priorities for addressing the challenge of suicide.
Military Strategy
What Makes for a Successful Military Intervention?
May 30, 2019
Policymakers often view military interventions as a tool to achieve political objectives. While these objectives were often successfully achieved, a recent RAND analysis of U.S. military interventions found that the levels of success have been declining over time.
Russia
Competing Against Russia
May 28, 2019
The House Foreign Affairs Committee recently held a hearing on countering a resurgent Russia, and legislation has been introduced that seeks to address Moscow's destabilizing activities. What policies could the United States adopt to stress Russia’s military, its economy, or the regime's political standing at home and abroad?
International Diplomacy
In Case You Missed It: Russia and China in the Middle East
May 23, 2019
The Middle East is important to Russia, China, and the United States because of its strategic location and vast energy resources. What are the United States' strengths in this new era of strategic competition?
Health Care Cost Inflation
What Do Private Health Plans Pay Hospitals Compared to Medicare?
May 22, 2019
The majority of the U.S. population is enrolled in a private health plan. A recent report examined U.S. hospital prices for 25 states and discovered that in 2017, the prices paid to hospitals for privately insured patients averaged 241 percent of what Medicare would have paid.
Arctic Region
In Case You Missed It: Policy Options for Navigating Potential Arctic Scenarios
May 21, 2019
RAND’s Abbie Tingstad discusses findings from a recent study on Coast Guard capability gaps in the Arctic. Researchers found gaps in three major areas: communications, domain awareness, and response abilities.
Migrants
Central American Migrants Pay Smugglers Hundreds of Millions of Dollars On Their Way North
May 16, 2019
Who is making money off the flow of migrants from Central America to the United States, and what can policymakers do to disrupt these transactions? A new Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center report finds that transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) are not the only, or even the main, culprits bringing migrants to our border.
Military Personnel
Modernizing Officer Management
Apr 30, 2019
In this congressionally mandated report, RAND captured the military departments' perspectives on potential changes in the statutory framework for military officer career management, some of which have since been enacted.
Health Insurance
National Spending Estimates Under Medicare for All
Apr 16, 2019
Some policymakers are examining "Medicare-for-All" proposals that would provide comprehensive health care coverage to the population nationwide. According to a new report, national spending under a Medicare-for-All plan would be $3.89 trillion in 2019, or a 1.8 percent increase relative to the costs under current law.
Military Personnel Retention
In Case You Missed It: Military Compensation to Support Retention, Performance, and Talent Management
Apr 11, 2019
Could the current military compensation system be improved to better support changes in personnel management? The system has performed well over time, but RAND's Beth Asch outlines some possible improvements for policymakers to consider.
Marijuana
What We Know and Don't Know About Cannabis
Apr 11, 2019
Cannabis policy is on the agenda across the nation as the federal and state governments confront questions about cannabis legalization, taxation options, and consequences for youth.